Nilphamari farmers start purple corn cultivation

24 April, 2019 12:00 AM

NILPHAMARI: Purple Corn, a variety of flint maize originated in South American country Peru, is being cultivated in Bangladesh, reports BSS.

Ahsan Ul Haq Babu of Asurkhai village of Kamarpukur Sayedpur Upazila for the first time has successfully produced the purple corn in Bangladesh environment in a limited scale in his research plot.

This particular variety of maize is very ancient, delicious and enrich with high nutritional value. Peruvians used to eat this colourful maize as taste food which sweetness is 20 against 19 in the Fazle variety of mango.

Antioxidant value in purple corn is five to ten times higher than blueberry and people of Inca Civilization used its colourful juice as beverage which can also be eaten raw like pomegranate.

Babu said he first found the variety of maize through internet. Later, he collected the e-mail address of its marketing company in America. Through one of his close relative he procured the seeds of the purple corn.

About the cultivation system Babu said at first seeds are germinated in a small pan and after two weeks of germination it is planted in the raised bed gardening system. Every plant grows three to four flours.

Babu cultivated purple corn in organic system and used biogas slurry, earthworm, animal bone powder with small amount of DPA, MOP and urea fertilizer. Mehgani and Neem oil are used as pesticide.

Agriculture official of Sayedpur Upazila Basudev Das it’s the first cultivation of purple corn in Bangladesh which is very encouraging for country’s agriculture as far as diversity is concerned.